Catherine Falls, Bakthang Falls and more: 5 beautiful waterfalls of India which one must not miss

India has innumerable waterfalls, which are considered to be some of nature’s unique gifts. There are also numerous legends associated with waterfalls, some of them have supernatural connotations too. One of the most popular waterfalls in India is the Nohkalikai Falls in Meghalaya near Cherrapunji, which is the tallest plunge waterfall in India and has a tragic legend associated with it. The local people say that this waterfall has been named after a woman who jumped from it to end her life, after she devoured the flesh of her own daughter unknowingly due to a certain treachery.

Whatever may be the stories associated with waterfalls, there is no doubt that they are breathtakingly beautiful. Here are five such beautiful waterfalls of India:

Catherine Falls, Kotagiri: Niligiris, whose name roughly translates to Blue Mountains in English, is one of the most enchanting places on earth. Not only is this region rich in biodiversity, the entire zone is mired in an intoxicating fragrance, which is hard to explain. In the Nilgiri hills, one of the most popular and beautiful spots is the Catherine Waterfall, which is situated in Kotagiri, close to both Coonoor and Ooty, two of the most popular hill stations of India.

The Catherine Falls has been named in honour of the English lady who was the wife of an official called MD Cockburn. This cascading flow of water is breathtakingly beautiful and can be viewed from another famous tourist spot by the name of Dolphin’s Nose.

Kempty Falls, Mussoorie: Probably the most ubiquitous name one hears while in Mussoorie, the Queen of Hills, is of Kempty Falls which is situated at a few kilometres drive from the main town. Kempty Falls is visited by a large number of tourists all-round the year and it is one of the most sought after tourist spots in that region. The water here falls at a tremendous speed below to the pool where people bathe and swim. If people are not willing to go down to its depths, the upper decks near the road have innumerable eateries to enjoy the view of this waterfall, while munching on the hot paranthas together with hot steaming tea. Legend has it that this place was developed by an Englishman to organise tea parties for his friends, and hence the name is probably a corruption of the words ‘camp tea’.

Law’s Falls, Coonoor: One of the lesser known waterfalls in the Nilgiri hills is the Law’s Falls also named after an Englishman. This waterfall is located close to the road and it is particularly breath-taking after the Monsoon season. Together with the gushing white foam of this waterfall, the green cover all around and the gigantic mountains, it is an enchanting destination to savour for some time while travelling to the more popular destinations of this place.

Bakthang Falls, Gangtok: Gangtok is an Eastern delight of India and while vacationing here, one can make a quick visit to this lesser known waterfall which is called the ‘Bakthang Falls’. This waterfall is a short drive from the MG Marg city centre of Gangtok and located on the bend of a road towards the Tashi View point. The name Bakthang in the local tongue probably means ‘forest meadow’ (bak is forest and thang is meadow). There is a rope sliding adventure sport facility one can also avail here.

Dudhsagar Falls, Goa: The stunning ‘Ocean or Sea of Milk’, which is a rough English translation of the name of this waterfall is amazingly beautiful just after monsoon season begins. This foaming white gush of water which cascades down to the below pool, is one of India’s most breath-taking and tallest waterfalls situated on the Mandovi River and a couple of hours drive from the state capital of Panjim or Panaji in Goa. The access to the base of this waterfall is through a forest and hence sightings of wildlife are also possible here.